The Drink of the South: Sweet Tea

If you know anything at all about Southerners then you know they love their iced tea, and they take it one way -- sweet.  Well, except for me.  I like my iced tea strong, unsweetened and loaded with fresh lemon, but as my doctor likes to say, I'm not average.

Southern Iced Tea

Ingredients:

• 3 c. water
• 2 family-size tea bags
• 1 c. sugar
• 7 c. cold water
• ice

Directions:

Bring 3 cups of water to boil in a saucepan; add the tea bags.  Boil for one minute, cover, and remove from heat.  Steep for 10 minutes.

Remove and discard the tea bags.  Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.

Pour into a large container.  Add 7 cups of cold water.  Serve over lots of ice.

Yield: About 2 1/2 quarts

Note: Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste.  This may not be sweet enough even for you.  For me, it's like syrup, but as I've told you, my doctor says I'm not average.